Adoption

Thou shalt have no other gods, but the Lord thy God.

1. IF thou wilt in any wise adopt a child to be thine own, and to be heir to thee, thou shalt take him whom thou lovest, and whom thou mayest lawfully take; and thou shalt go before an Apostle, a High Priest, or the Chief of the Elders where thou dwellest, or the Priest who administers in the Temple or the Synagogue; and thou shalt take the child upon thy knee, and clasp him in thine arms, and shalt protest that thou lovest him as thine own flesh; and he shall seal him unto thee in the name of thy God: and shall sprinkle water upon him, and consecrate him thy flesh: and shall bless thee, and bless him in thy house; and he shall be thine forever. God shall give thee grace to be a father unto him, and grace unto him to honour thee. 146 words,572 letters.2. And if thou hast a child who was not born in wedlock, and wilt assure him unto thee, thou shalt in like manner bring him, and protest he is thine, and he shall be sealed unto thee, that he be thine forever. 42 words,159 letters.Total—2 sec., 188 words, 731 letters.